The Queen has tested positive for Covid-19 and is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms”, it was announced on Sunday.
It comes after the monarch came in direct contact with her eldest son, the Prince of Wales, when he had the virus last week.
Prince Charles tested positive for the virus on 10 February – the second time he has contracted Covid – and went into self-isolation. However, he had met with the Queen two days before he received a positive test.
Shortly after, the Duchess of Cornwall also tested positive for Covid-19. She had tested negative on the day it was confirmed that Charles had the virus and carried out three public engagements on the same day.
The Queen cancelled planned virtual engagements earlier this week because she was experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms”.
Now, Buckingham Palace has revealed that Her Majesty has cancelled two more virtual audiences as she continues to recover from Covid.
A Palace spokesman said: “The two virtual audiences that had previously been scheduled to take place today will now be rescheduled for a later date. Her Majesty is continuing with light duties. No other engagements are scheduled for this week.”
The Queen’s diagnosis comes just a few weeks after she reached her historic Platinum Jubilee on 6 February, marking 70 years on the throne.
Here’s everything we know about whether the Queen will continue to work and how she will be treated.
Is the Queen still working?
Buckingham Palace has announced that Her Majesty will not partake in two more planned virtual audiences for Thursday, 24 February.
She has no other engagements in her schedule this week, but is expecting to attend a number of high-profile engagements in the coming weeks, including the Diplomatic Reception on 2 March and the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on 14 March.
The Queen is also set to attend the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service on 29 March.
The Palace has said the Queen would continue “light duties” while receiving medical attention and following all appropriate guidelines.
Her diagnosis came after she carried out her first public major engagement for more than three months on Saturday 5 February.
She met with charity workers at Sandringham House, where she cut a celebratory cake for her jubilee and used a walking stick to rest on.
Who will treat the Queen?
The Royal Household has its own physicians and the Queen’s doctors will be on hand to take care of and monitor her condition in the coming days.
Professor Sir Huw Thomas, head of the Medical Household and Physician to the Queen, is expected to be in charge.
Is the Queen vaccinated?
Yes, the Queen is understood to have had three doses of a coronavirus vaccine.
How is the Queen’s health?
The Queen has been on doctor’s orders to rest since mid-October following a health scare.
She spent a night in hospital to undergo preliminary tests and was forced to cancel a run of engagements at the time.
In 2003, the monarch underwent surgery on both knees to remove torn cartilage. She used a walking stick following the surgery, but did not use one in public until 2021.
She was last seen leaning on a walking stick on 16 February, when she met with incoming Defence Services Secretary Major General Eldon Millar and his predecessor Rear Admiral James Macleod.
During the event, Her Majesty stood and pointed to her left leg and said: “Well, as you can see, I can’t move.”
It was understood that she was feeling slightly stiff rather than having injured herself or being unwell at the time.
Additional reporting by PA
